I am Jess and I run Breathe Life Childbirth Education. I am a Registered Midwife and a mum of 2 boys. I’d heard great things from midwife colleagues, so I did The Positive Birth Program™ during my first pregnancy and honestly, I was a bit sceptical about it! My husband and I both loved the course! I went on to use everything I learned for the beautiful but very different births of my two sons.
After seeing the incredible education and preparation provided in this course, I just thought more women need to be empowered like this for birth. So, I started teaching the course so more and more women can have positive, empowering birthing experiences.
The Positive Birth Program™ is an independent childbirth education course by Hypnobirthing Australia®. It is a proven, evidence-based, down-to-earth course that helps empower you for a positive birthing experience.
So, let’s talk about the benefits of doing The Positive Birth Program™.
1) Knowledge is Power
When it comes to birth – ignorance is not bliss. When you don’t have the knowledge of
birth, interventions and options you place all the power into the hands of your caregivers.
Our caregivers are fantastic, but they don’t only have your best interests in mind – they are
also concerned about timing, litigation, learning experiences, hospital policy and so much
more. We know that intervention rates are on the rise, significantly. (Mother and Babies
Report 2020) We also know this rise in interventions is not improving outcomes. To make
the best decisions for you and your birth you need to be informed and educated about the
physiology of birth and common interventions, so you can make decisions that are right for
you and know the right questions to ask. This will empower you to be in control and in the
driver’s seat of your birth, rather than in the passenger seat.
2) Toolkit for labour and birth
Birth is hard work. Birth is intense. Birth can be overwhelming. Birth can be painful.
You need to be prepared with tools and techniques to manage labour.
Did you know that when you tense up and hold your breath it actually makes it harder for
your body to labour? Your muscles need to be relaxed and oxygenated to work effectively.
So tools and techniques to help keep your body relaxed and breathing well can help you
have a calmer, quicker more comfortable labour experience.
Did you know your body has natural pain relief it releases during labour? They are called
endorphins and are thought to be 20-40 times stronger than morphine for pain relief! We
condition the body to release lots of endorphins during labour and birth.
Learn a whole range of breathing techniques, positions, relaxation, self-hypnosis (deep
relaxation), and other tools to help you through your labour and birth.
3) Support
Most birth partners have no idea what to do to help during labour and birth, or what to
expect. Your birth partner will also learn tools and techniques to support you and to make
your birthing environment beautiful and calm. Plus, other tools like light-touch massage,
positions, acupressure and more. They will also learn to advocate for your birth preferences
and know what questions to ask if interventions are suggested.
4) Preparation
A positive mindset is half the battle for labour and birth. Our society has a deep-rooted fear
of birth and pain during birth. We talk about where this fear comes from and how we can
release these fears. Our bodies were made to birth. Women have been birthing for all of
history – most of the time with no intervention and minimal complications. It is fantastic
that we now have medical intervention available to save lives when it’s needed. When there
are so special, medical circumstances (most of the time there’s not) our bodies know exactly
how to birth our babies, with a bit of preparation and support to help us allow our body to
do what it needs.
We prepare our minds and bodies for labour and birth and for any turn our birthing may
take. A positive birth doesn’t mean a ‘normal’ birth. It means a birth experience that was
positive for you, that you were empowered, in control, calm and supported.
Your birth is one of the most important days of your life. It is a day you will remember
forever. Unfortunately, 1 in 3 women in Australia now experience their birth as traumatic.
This saddens me so much. Birth can be and should be a beautiful memory for you, not
something traumatic you want to forget. That doesn’t mean everything goes perfectly. I had
a beautiful forceps birth with my first son. I was empowered, calm, supported and felt
confident it was the best thing for us (You can read the full story on my website).
Your birth is worth investing in.
Breathe Life runs small group courses in Lightsview, Adelaide, private courses or online
courses. See my website, email or call me for more information or to book a course.
I also have a special offer for anyone who says they heard about me from Immerse in Birth.
jessica@breathelife.au
0411 810 214
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